The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-24
TIE HOUSEKEEPER.
Observation-Disclosures,
By MARION uARLASD.
Pant S--MY TREASURE,

| n tcopysghtei 1857 by tho Author.
B. loss tho tirst haIf-ycar Of housokeep
lug wsa up we had added to our staff O.
servants q robust young woman who wa.
to be chambermaid and laundress, and as
aiss in tho family sowing. My health wa,
giving way under the ceascless wear.and
tear Of following up Emily Grace, and The
g1awing consciousness that my persona
duties were, meanwhile, neglected.
"How many servants do you keep p
asked an old friend Of my husband at ihii
date.
"Three.-and one slave" WAS the pron,p,
tejoindes. "The slave Is my wife,"
In this persuasion he hired Lucy on his
Own responsibility witLou! 80 much az
consulting mo. She bore an excellent
Character, was grave Of face and low.
voiced, and tho deitness OF her motions
contrasted refreshirgiy with Em'iy's Gle.
phAntine lurchinga. The quiet dignity Of
my new maids department gave a new as.
pect 10 the household. She seldom smiled
and never chatted; was neat in person,
obedient, respectful and never idle, |
grew really fond Of hes res.iul, helpful
tyesencs in less .han month from the
time she entered cur service. John wss
Sratifi1d, but not surprised.
II knew that good hired servants were
10 be had somewhere" he said. Our
former experience was sinHu.srly uniortu.
nate. Lucy 10 genuine treasure"
We were 80 well convinced Of this that
when the summer vacation came, we
seriously considered the exped:eucy Of
leaving tho house keys with our pictur.
esque sesvito.. Fear OF arousing the jesi.
ousy Of Sam and Emily turned the scales
assinst tho proposition. Assisted BY her.
I put up ilsnnels and iurs in camphor and
newspapers; Sc! to right drawers, closets
and Store room; gave out provisions
enough to Inst the kitchen cabinet during
our absence; LETT poultry-yara and garden
at their mercy, and We departed on our
well.earned holiday. Tho keys we're com.
United 10 the care OF my best neiyhbor.
We we're abeent four weeks. The par
sonsge was clean, bright and inviting on
our return. My friend had 6uperintended
the preparations. for our reception but
Lucy's had been the executive power,
she came out 10 meet us as the ccrrigge
stopped. Her full, white apron aud white
turban were crisp from the smoothing
iron, sha.was tall anu straight, and walked
with long steady stop, too gliding for a
stride. l had broush. two Young girls
home with me, and WAS proud OF my maid
as she took their wraps and bacg, and
answered our salutations with grave
courtesy.
"such treasured" repeated my guests,
day by day, in echo OF our enconiums.
housekeeping isa pleasure when one has
a servant Ike her,"
Lucy is good, faithful GIRL" said my
desreat neighbor. "You left a window
nniestencd upstairs, and che ran into our
house one night when thunder cloud
was rieiu2 TO ask my husband to come over
with the key and let her shut out the rain,
It wGs basement window and she heard
it tapping back and forth. The catch
Wa broken, ard had it mented. But
for Lucy, floors and walls would have
been d.euci,ed."
We used burning fluid" and camphene
lamps in these dayG. Every one in the
houan was empty when We 90. back from
our Summarizing" John explained readi-
ly that the volatile contents had evapo.
rated. Another time no would know bet.
ter than to Leave the lamps inll.
The girls were invited to party in the
course OF their visit to us, and while the
discussion Of their toilet.eH was going on
brought down from the topmost Bhei; Of
my closet box containing hn Indian mus.
lin gown, sash, French iiowera. otc., that
had formed part Of my tosseau. |
had never CHANGED 10 wear them, aud
the girls nigh! fancy EoMe part OF the cos.
tune.
mot worn .heml" was the exclamation
as lifted the ;issue-paper coverings.
THO waia. had been dragged together In
front and pinned over frame much lar.
ger than mine. The ssnms Wete strained !;
rent between tha shoulders had been
neatly neuded etaing on the front breadth
washed and then ironed oyer. The broad
white silk sash was perforated by several
pin holes and spotted with coffee the
| tloTer5 were tonz|ed.
The girl insisted tiat had worn the
dress In it OF gomrambulsm. John was
quite poa!tiye that he recollected eecorting
Inc to the party at which spoiled the ar.
ray. | had hut one ans3er:
Gan a maid forget her ornaments, or a
bride her attire? / neer wore The aipss I;
sash or Ioxorn, waking or sieepingl"
While "e talked, Lucy ga. in tho room,
busy with her sewing, the sweep and re.
turn OF her hand to the garment abe was
at work upon az regular % machipe heGta.
| appealed to her
"hee, Lucy! Is not tina shamoiu!2 Such
g pretty dressI Who DO you think could
have done itT'
"Yea, ma'an," raising her sotious face
for the first time. at ia Il great pity. |
canno. imagine who could have dared do
such thing"
She spoke with feeling and nrorrieiy,
but when she Sa9 dellcient,n either2 In;
ytcgt!gatiop was usofeBq. For Rught VIC
could say tho wrong might hhve been
conuitted montha Hgo. 1t could hardly
have happened while INcy1 vntchiul
eyes were On house and oon,enta.
1t may have been two monthH there
after tina, 30: forth on q round OF glter.
noon calls, lost The heel OF my shoe DO.
fore had gone three blocks, and retrac..
ed my steps limpinvly to tho parsonage
Aa entered tho hall ! heard a ahr;l! siter-
cation on tho bank piazza. Peuping
through Mo parlor Minds, lHaw Lucy and
Grace. Tho !orne, m. saving on the
s.eps, tho latter Btoo1 beforc her, gea!icn.
le,ing violently and lairly ac,ee,!.ing with
tBso,
II ont taso more % You raBsinorB, III
you gimme mother word, III LOT on to
MiGs Marion how you aot do ladder 'ginBt
do hoNso m broke do windcr.ketch, do
night you vas married. m iotched out
her iino white drcna m ilowers m snah NJ
wore EN- you ablf. An how You TUX hur
lampu, m tahlo cloth, M uheets, m I'd
knox What ali far you wedeln' party"
At thin point tho older woman cnsl tho
| aIanI hho NAN |, nm LII NJ, inin liz inno af